


Lavender

by Denshi_Alpha



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Cultural Differences, Getting Together, Locker Room, Love Confessions, M/M, Relationship Advice, Scenting, Scents & Smells
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-14 12:58:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15389265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denshi_Alpha/pseuds/Denshi_Alpha
Summary: Ulaz makes a strange offer to Shiro, and only later Keith explains that for a Galra that was a love confession. What will Shiro do?





	Lavender

Funny how locker rooms were the same everywhere, Shiro thought. He was in the Castle of Lions, but the benches and the damp warmth wafting from the showers was exactly the same as back at the Garrison. Only there were no lockers here, just shelves, presumable because one did not need to worry about possessions being stolen. And of course, it was very much not like the old days that Shiro left their sparring session earlier to shower alone so nobody could see his scars, leaving Ulaz with Keith to polish the Red Paladin's bladework.

Not that Keith was offended at Shiro leaving. When Ulaz mentioned he wanted to show Keith some secret Blade of Marmora techniques, Keith's eyes immediately lit up. Shiro chuckled. Sure, the start with the Blade had been bumpy, but now Keith was completely taken with them. The old Keith would have said he had nothing to hide from Shiro, but now he was completely immersed into the whole vibe of secret society. That snazzy uniform and the mysterious rituals – it would appeal to any moody teenager's heart and it perfectly fit Keith's aesthetic. Still, Shiro knew that even if the Blade's _modus operandi_ fit Keith's personality well, the Voltron and the Universe were still his first priority, and harmless little secrets were not a big deal. And besides, it did Keith good to see that not all Galra were evil, he was so shaken after his heritage had been revealed. In fact, it did Shiro good too. Take Ulaz, for example.

'Yeah, take Ulaz, now that's a thought!' said a little voice at the back of Shiro's mind that sounded suspiciously like Lance when he was flirting. Shiro coughed awkwardly. Fine, he was man enough to admit that he found Ulaz attractive. That was also definitely not like back in the Garrison days, Shiro did not dream of large purple aliens then, but did so with alarming frequency now. At first he was worried that his horrible year in captivity at the Arena had messed with his mind and made him develop weird kinks. But no other Galra made him feel like that, not Kolivan, not Sendak, and most definitely not Zarkon. It was just Ulaz.

Shiro had started noticing Ulaz, the way the he moved, the precise, formal way he talked, how he was always ready to support the Paladins, as if he were trying to redeem himself... That was a feeling Shiro could very well recognise, he often thought about what did as the Champion and if those sins would ever be forgiven, even if he was not quite sure what exactly the sins were, his memory being what it was.

Shiro heard the beep of the sensor at the door and hurriedly pulled on his shirt. The sleeve caught on his prosthetic, and Shiro frowned. He straightened the sleeve and looked up to see the door slide open soundlessly. Ulaz entered.

'Hi,' Shiro squeaked, and Ulaz wordlessly nodded in reply, not even wondering at Shiro's greeting, as if they had not just seen each other on the training deck.

'He is probably used to me acting like a dork around him,' thought Shiro. Or maybe it was just his personality, not much phased him at all. Ulaz proceeded to his shelf, where he deposited his blade and started peeling off his tight uniform without even looking at Shiro.

Shiro gulped. Looking at Ulaz undressing would definitely play into Shiro's newfound interest in a bad way, he did not want to be caught staring. And yet the slowly revealed muscular back with short, velvety fur was like a magnet to Shiro's gaze. He noticed some scarred and bald patches, as if from acid or burns, and finally turned away and vigorously rubbed his hair with a towel. He should be hating the Galra for what they had done to him, but the thought that this particular Galra had endured some injuries pained Shiro as well.

'Where's Keith?' Shiro asked to distract himself.

'He stayed behind for some marksmanship training with the Blue Paladin,' Ulaz replied.

'More like fighting and bickering,' chuckled Shiro. 'But it's good for him to have friends of his age.'

'You worry about him?' asked Ulaz.

'We have a history,' shrugged Shiro in reply. He was not sure if Ulaz understood that idiom, but at least Ulaz did not ask to explain.

'He is very talented. He is already a good Blade, despite his young age and heritage,' he said instead.

'His heritage, huh?' Shiro echoed.

'I only meant his small stature. The Blade does not discriminate against those who are not pure Galra, if that is what you are worried about. I myself have a non-Galra grandparent,' said Ulaz.

'Really?' Shiro asked, interest piqued. That explained why Ulaz was not so large or so hairy like some other Galra he had seen. 'And how did you manage to get on Haggar's team then? They seem to be big on purity over there.'

'I'm just that brilliant,' Ulaz smirked in reply.

'I'm sure you are,' Shiro said, but felt his own good mood evaporate. He should not have mentioned Haggar, that was always a downer.

'Shiro, are you feeling unwell?' Ulaz stepped closer.

'I'm fine, I'm just... What is that smell?' asked Shiro.

'My apologies, Paladin Shiro, I have not managed to shower yet,' Ulaz replied even more stiff and formal than usual and Shiro sensed that he was offended, and briefly wondered at himself that he had become so adept at deciphering Ulaz's moods.

'No, I didn't mean it that way!' he explained hurriedly. 'It's just... It smells like lavender!'

It sounded ridiculous, Shiro could hardly believe it himself, but that was exactly what Ulaz's sweat smelled like! Strange how he had never noticed that before.

'What is lavender?' Ulaz cocked his head curiously.

'It's a flower on Earth, where I come from.'

'You have a flower that smells like sweat?' Ulaz's nose wrinkled.

Shiro wanted to say that is more like the other way round, Ulaz's sweat smelled like flowers, but he decided not to, in case that turned out to be offensive to Galra honour or warriors' customs or whatever. He just nodded and shrugged.

'Earth is an odd planet,' Ulaz declared.

'Don't I know it,' Shiro laughed.

'I would like to see it one day,' Ulaz said gently.

Shiro went still. He himself would love to go back to Earth one day. But would he ever get a chance? Or was his future only fighting and death in cold, unforgiving space? Of course, it would be a heroic death for a good cause, so it would make a difference, but Shiro definitely did not want to die just yet, not when there was so much to do. He caught himself clenching his fist and straightened his fingers carefully.

'Is everything okay?' asked Ulaz, ever observant.

'I was just remembering home,' Shiro shrugged the question off.

'Was it the scent of this... lavender, which reminded you of home?' asked Ulaz. 'If you wish, you can smell it closer. If you find that pleasing.'

Shiro's eyebrows met his hairline as he watched Ulaz sit down on a bench and lean back against the wall, stretching his neck out. That was a bizarre situation and Shiro was not sure what to do. Ulaz was sitting there expectantly half-undressed with his neck bared and on the one hand sniffing a sweaty alien seemed kind of gross, but on the other, Ulaz's wiry neck and relaxed posture looked inviting...

Shiro gulped and took a step closer, and then another one, and was bending closer to Ulaz's neck and at that same moment the door sensor beeped, the door slid open and Keith walked in.

'Whoa, sorry to disturb!' he said and immediately turned around and walked right back out.

'Keith, wait!' Shiro called, but the door was already closed. The moment between him and Ulaz was broken.

'Excuse me, I still need to shower,' Ulaz muttered, gathered his things and fled.

Shiro looked around the empty locker room. What had just happened?

 

The answer to that question came sooner than expected. Later that evening someone knocked at the door of Shiro's room. For some reason Shiro thought it might be Keith, and he was glad to see his gut feeling turned out to be right.

'So,' Keith began awkwardly. 'I'm sorry for interrupting you and Ulaz today. I didn't know you guys were like that.'

'Like what? Keith, there was nothing going on!' Shiro shook his head. Or maybe there was something going on, but he was not going to ask Keith for advice, he was supposed to be the leader and know everything! 'I mean, he offered me to smell him and I just...'

'He was presenting!' Keith interrupted in a somewhat gleeful tone of voice that distinctly reminded Shiro of Lance whenever he spoke of romance. Wait, romance? Was that what it was?

'What does that mean, exactly? It that some kind of Galra mating ritual?' Shiro asked weakly. Sure, he thought Ulaz was hot, but he also thought he had been hiding his attraction quite well. Apparently, not well enough, if Ulaz noticed. Was it some sort of pity thing, Ulaz could not stand to watch Shiro pining, so he offered ...something?

'Sort of. It's more like a confession,' Keith narrowed his eyes. 'I thought you knew. Ulaz was interested in you for ages.'

'He was?' Shiro could not really fit that in his impression of Ulaz. 'Wait, Keith, how do you even know? I didn't think you were a gossiping type.'

'Ulaz always goes on about how your leadership gives hope to us all, he is so cheesy even Lance got embarrassed once' Keith looked away awkwardly. 'I knew it was only a matter of time before he said something.'

Shiro run his fingers through his hair. So the offer to smell him was basically a confession in Galran. And he had no idea! Was he supposed to reciprocate? And how?

'What do I do now?' Shiro asked.

'What do you want to do?' Keith replied. 'If you accept his feelings, you should tell him and let him smell you, I guess.'

'How do you even know all these things?' Shiro asked. He could hardly believe he was talking about feelings with Keith, out of all people.

'Kolivan told me. Crash course in Galra culture, or something like that,' Keith shrugged.

'That must have been awkward, like talking about romance with your granddad,' Shiro laughed.

'He is not that old, you know,' Keith corrected. 'Blades break before they get dull.'

Shiro just stared. Keith said that in a tone of voice that definitely implied some kind of ritual phrase. Shiro did not use the Japanese all that often, but there was a word perfect for it - “chuunibyou”.

'It's a proverb,' Keith explained, blushing a little. 'It means Blades die before they get old. Only of course luxite doesn't break, so that's not a very accurate proverb.'

'Keith, don't say that!' Shiro grabbed Keith's hand and squeezed. 'We will defeat the Empire and you will live the longest life in history of Galra or humans!'

'I'll have to try really hard to beat Zarkon's record,' said Keith. 'That's something to aim for, anyway, right?'

'That's the spirit,' Shiro said and they both laughed.

'But anyway, what are you going to do about Ulaz?' Keith asked.

'What would a Galra do?'

'Well, like I said, smelling is a thing. Or, if you are really into him, licking,' now Keith looked really awkward and Shiro had to ask himself what exactly did they teach Keith at the Blade headquarters. 'But are you that into him?'

'I guess I'll just make my mind up on the spot,' he said.

'Your decision-making never ceases to amaze me,' Keith was not very good at doing impressions, but Shiro recognised that it was supposed to be Ulaz, and smiled.

'He is in the kitchen right now, it you want to talk?' suggested Keith.

'Since when do you like to play matchmaker? I thought that was Lance's job,' said Shiro.

'Ugh, don't compare me to him! He is just nosy, and I'm looking out for you!'

'Thanks, Keith!' Shiro ruffled his hair and Keith batted his hand away. “Guess I'll go to the kitchen and grab a snack or something.'

'That better not be a sex joke, Shiro.'

Shiro had not thought about it that way, but now he had to blush while shooing Keith out of the room.

 

Ulaz was indeed in the kitchen. He was hunched over a plate trying to shove a stubborn peace of food goo directly in his mouth with utensils that were way too small for his Galra hands. He quickly straightened and tried to look nonchalant as soon as Shiro entered the kitchen. Shiro almost laughed, but then thought that Ulaz never really took his meals together with other Paladins. He probably hated to let people see him struggle. Shiro could understand that feeling very well.

'Hi. I wanted to ask you something, but I can come back later,' Shiro said.

'It is fine, I am finished,' Ulaz dismissively waved his hand at the plate with some globs of goo still stuck to it. Shiro took a deep breath.

'Look, about before, in the locker room,' he started, and Ulaz's ears drooped.

'Please forget about that. I was out of line offering you that and I overstepped my bounds.'

'No, that's fine!' Shiro hurriedly explained. 'I didn't mind!'

Ulaz's ears immediately perked up in a way Shiro thought completely endearing. How did Ulaz even manage to be a spy in the enemy's nest, if he was this expressive? Or was it only for Shiro that he showed his feelings so clearly? Shiro felt that he wanted to find it out.

'Does your offer still stand?' he asked quietly.

'Anytime, Shiro,' Ulaz's reply was similarly quiet, but Shiro sensed the repressed feelings behind it. Ulaz got up from his chair, walked closer to Shiro and suddenly sank down on his knees, pulling aside his collar and offering Shiro his neck.

Shiro gulped. He definitely had not expected that, and now he had a feeling he went into something much deeper than he thought, what if the whole kneeling thing had a special significance for Galra, what if he messed up somehow, what if he had misunderstood? But Ulaz was still there waiting, and Shiro forced his panicked thoughts to calm down, bent closer to Ulaz and buried his nose in the short fur at his neck.

Ulaz shuddered, and Shiro breathed in. The lavender scent was nearly gone, replaced by the clean neutral smell of standard Castle liquid soap, and Shiro pressed his nose closer to the warm neck, trying to chase that elusive lavender.

'Shiro,' half-growled, half-purred Ulaz.

Shiro drew back, feeling shaken. They were not even doing anything particularly sexual, by Earth standards, and yet it felt incredibly intimate, and intense. It was too much, and Shiro was nervous, and yet it was not enough. The look that Ulaz was giving Shiro did not help either, he was looking at Shiro like he wanted to eat him whole, but in a good way. His eyes burned much brighter now. Even though he was still on his knees and Shiro looked down on him, Shiro felt like he was a snack about to be unwrapped, and it was an unexpectedly good feeling.

'Do you understand the meaning of this for a Galra?' Ulaz asked, his voice rougher than usual. It was good to know that he was also affected, that was what gave Shiro the courage to nod.

'It means you like me, right?' he said. 'Get up, the floor must be uncomfortable.'

'More than just like you,' Ulaz said and shook his head, his white crest falling over his eyes. 'Will you also allow me to reciprocate?'

Shiro had a feeling that if he said no or showed reluctance in any way, Ulaz would have continued kneeling on the kitchen floor for the rest of the eternity. Luckily, Shiro was not feeling a shred of reluctance.

'Of course! Come here,' he said and reached for Ulaz.

Ulaz stood fluidly and in one movement pressed Shiro closer to himself and bent down to bury his nose in Shiro's neck. Shiro almost giggled at the puffs of breath tickling him, and then outright groaned as he felt Ulaz's rough tongue give his neck a little lick. He remembered Keith's explanation - the tongue meant Ulaz was really into him, apparently.

'Is this acceptable?' asked Ulaz, still not moving his head from the crook of Shiro's neck.

'Absolutely,' Shiro replied confidently. 'Do it again.'

Ulaz licked a longer strip along Shiro's neck, and Shiro felt his skin tingling. It had been a long time since anyone touched him with sexual intentions, and Shiro's sensuality slowly woke up from slumber. But it was not the time for anything more intimate yet, Shiro didn't even know how Galra get intimate.

As if sensing his thoughts, Ulaz finally moved away and smiled at Shiro, and his sharp teeth should have been intimidating, but instead Shiro just felt happy to see that smile.

'I have studied materials about human courtship, so I know at this stage we are supposed to “take it slow”, if I use that expression correctly,' Ulaz said. 'But I will be looking forward to exploring the next stages with you.'

'Thank you,' Shiro said, smiling in return. He was pretty sure that the materials about courtship that Ulaz referred to were probably some sort of lurid romance novels or bad films courtesy of Lance and Pidge, but it was still heart-warming to know that Ulaz had made an effort. And for once Shiro felt that he did not mind being the romantic heroine.

 


End file.
